ext_39051 ([identity profile] telemann.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] talkpolitics2010-05-04 10:20 am

Bill Maher: Western culture isn't just different, it's better.

On "The Daily Show," Jon Stewart relatively soft-pedaled his defense of fellow Comedy Central employees, "South Park's" Matt Stone and Trey Parker, against a group of Muslim critics. Over at HBO this weekend, though, Bill Maher wasn't holding anything back. On his show "Real Time With Bill Maher," the show's every-incendiary host opined during his segment "New Rules:"

"When South Park got threatened last week by Islamists incensed at their depiction of Muhammad, it served -- or should serve -- as a reminder that our culture isn't just different than one that makes death threats to cartoonists. It's better." In his defense of the First Amendment and other Americal civil liberties, Maher -- who made the film "Religulous" -- continued: "The Western world needs to make it clear: Some things about our culture are not negotiable. And can't change. And one of them is freedom of speech, Separation of church and state is another."

Completely spot-on observation about real differences in cultures, one that will not play well with PC police. Bill Maher is certainly no friend of religious people; and gives grief equally to Christianity, Judaism, Scientology, and Mormons as you will see. But he specifically singles out Isalm with the recent actions in Afganistan and the Taliban's attack on an all girls school.


[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Given that New Testaments *are* handed out by soldiers......

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Saudi Arabia just so happens to be a US ally. The USA is a big supporter of Freedom For Me and Not For Thee.....

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 07:45 pm (UTC)(link)
My guess is that if I'm Catholic and the Church works out that Concordat they're working on that if anyone were to try to harm me the Saudis would drill holes in their heads....

Maybe you'll hear me now:

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
WHICH IS THE UNITED STATES' LITTLE BUDDY IN THE MIDDLE EAST AT THE SAME TIME AS WE'RE INVADING TWO OTHER MUSLIM COUNTRIES TALKING ABOUT PEACE AND DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY.

Re: Maybe you'll hear me now:

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Backed by we the supposedly freedom loving woman loving gay loving West. No USA means instant collapse of most of these dictatorships post-haste. Their own subjects loathe them. We prop them up.

Re: Maybe you'll hear me now:

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 08:06 pm (UTC)(link)
WE ARE GOING AROUND IN COMPLETE CIRCLES. CONGRATULATIONS. HAVE A FREE INFINITY LOOP.

Image

Re: Maybe you'll hear me now:

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Round and round she goes:

Image

[identity profile] abomvubuso.livejournal.com 2010-05-05 08:09 am (UTC)(link)
Sigh.

Kids.

[identity profile] ghoststrider.livejournal.com 2010-05-05 03:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, this is getting a bit much.

If you can't add anything to the discussion, don't bother. I know Under is a bit thick, but don't egg him on.

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
And funny, I didn't realize that keeping gays second-class citizens was how one loved them.
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] underlankers.livejournal.com 2010-05-04 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
No, but violence against Gays is not something limited to the Muslim world.....